It's tough to preview an offseason, or gauge the likelihood of certain moves, when the new faces of Vancouver Canucks hockey operations - particularly new general manager Jim Benning and new president Trevor Linden - have shallow track records as top NHL decision makers. Linden has already proven himself an effective salesman and alliance builder in his new job, but he's never worked in an NHL front office (or any hockey front office for that matter). We've seen Benning give advice in documentary snippets from hockey operations meetings, but this is his first go as an NHL general manager.

Though Linden and Benning have given a myriad of interviews since taking over, we know little about their plans or preferences. Come to think of it, I don't think anyone even has a good sense even of how the dynamic duo's internal decision making process is going to work.

There's one major data point available to us, however, and it speaks volumes. It's the way that Ryan Kesler saga has, to this point, unfolded.

While Kesler reportedly wants out, he does appear to be cooperating with the Canucks to some extent for now. Here was Jason Botchford's take on Ryan Kesler's trade request, from an appearance on the Scott Rintoul Show earlier this month:

The word out of [Kesler's camp] is that, y'know, Benning's a great guy, but he's inherited a mess, and they don't think this roster has enough skill to win soon and they want to win. So Ryan Kesler goes back on the trade block, and we go through all of this again. ....

Both his side and the Canucks side when they met - Benning, [Kesler's agent Kurt Overhardt], and Kesler - they agreed that they weren't going to say anything - they were going to shut their mouths, and let this play out - because they don't want this big hullabaloo and the circus that encompassed Roberto Luongo, and some of the things that we've seen around Vancouver.

Obviously both the Canucks and Kesler's side have followed that script to a tee so far. Now the big question is whether or not Kesler is willing to expand the list, so as to help "great guy" Benning create an auction situation that includes more than just the Anaheim Ducks (still reportedly interested) and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

From the Canucks perspective, more possible Kesler suitors is gravy, but there's a balancing act here. This is a club that, once Kesler is dealt, will still have nine partial or modified no-move or no-trade clauses on the books. Working with other players on a three-dimensional transaction of this nature is a process that the team will surely have to go through again in the coming years as Benning and Linden attempt to steer the club back to contender status. It's on Linden and Benning to make sure that Kesler feels better about the outcome and this process at its conclusion than, say, Luongo does about how his unending trade saga played out. Low bar, that.

But we've digressed somewhat, because already - even without knowing what types of players the Canucks are targeting in a potential Kesler deal - the way this has unfolded tells us a lot about the post-Gillis Canucks, and what the new management team sees as a priority.

That priority: competing for the postseason immediately. This is not going to be a slow, patient, bottom-out rebuild. If it was up to the club, Kesler would be staying put. Instead Kesler is the guy driving the bus on the Canucks' decision to trade a core, veteran skater - something the Aquilini-era Canucks have never done in nearly a decade.

Kesler is an excellent player and irreplaceable for Vancouver in the short-term, but he's also a high value piece who may be starting to lose his fastball. For a team with just one capable forward line, getting multiple younger pieces for Kesler is something of a no-brainer.

As for Linden and Benning, Kesler has probably done them a massive favor. We likely know what Linden and Benning's larger, stubborn directive from ownership is - sustain success and build a contender (not that it's a secret) - so getting a return on a Kesler trade that straddles both goals is key. It could define this next era of Canucks history.

Thomas Drance lives in Toronto, eats spicy food and writes about hockey. He is the editor in chief of the Nation Network (a.k.a Overlord), and an opinionated blowhard to boot. You can follow him on twitter @thomasdrance.

Would it be out of the realm to see Kesler moved in a 3 way deal - initially to Florida and from there to Chicago? Obviously there would be other pieces involved but if Florida assured Kesler's agent that they would move him to one of the teams on his preferred list, could this not happen?

"After Gillis was fired, we criticized him for a lack of strategic coherence - for never committing to either an all-in posture or a full rebuild. It might appear now that these decisions were beyond his pay grade."

Unlike Gillis Benning seems to keep his cards close to the vest and I have a feeling Kess will start the season in a Canucks uniform.

With mostly Western conference and Division opponents in the mix, then the Asking price will be high. Kess has a NMC so he gave the team 6 places he would go... That cuts down the teams a lot, then add in West conf... Teams cut down to Philly /Det/Pitts?? Allegedly.....so Benning is dealing with 3 teams. The pickings won't be great.

If Canucks are out of the picture at the trade deadline, Kess could widen his choices depending on which teams are in the mix for the playoffs. A Washington, Tampa or Toronto....wait not Toronto..... But it seems a better process to wait until your choices are greater and teams are really pressing to get an edge.